4 Work Habits to Start on Day One

“Congratulations on your new job!”

What does that mean for you? In a job environment where change is the norm, you have a vested interest in making sure your next new job leads you down the right path to future growth and opportunity. And the key to accomplishing that is establishing strong work habits. Right away.

Here are some insights on what you can do to set the right tone for your new job, and all the new jobs of the future you’ll eventually find yourself in.

Show up
First thing’s first: You can’t perform adequately in any job without actually being there. Attendance, punctuality and willingness to work are habits that make a hige difference.
One thing you might not often hear about attendance and punctuality — it’s hard. It requires dedication. Getting up every day and giving yourself enough time to arrive in professionally appropriate attire, physically and mentally prepared for the day’s work — regardless of traffic or other unforeseen obstacles — requires a lot of hard work in and of itself. But the difference in how you’re viewed by employers when you arrive five minutes early as opposed to five minutes late is well worth the investment of your time and energy.

Communicate
Whether you’re a full-time, part-time, or contract employee, communicating with new employers can seem daunting at first. The impulse is to not make waves as the new person. But you can make some positive waves right away by communicating openly with your new team members. A strong work habit that doesn’t always come naturally to new employees is asking questions, especially early on in the assignment.

One specific area to focus on is giving and receiving feedback. Many employers assume their new employees will automatically act and respond just as other employees do, which is hardly ever the case. New employees want to know how they’re doing in their roles even more so than more tenured peers, but at the same time there’s a reluctance to ask for feedback. There’s also a tendency to assume the worst-case scenario if you’re not getting input on your performance from a new employer. By asking for performance feedback, you’ll show you’re ready to bridge any communication gaps that may develop and help ensure a strong relationship on both sides.

Be honest
Sharing your honest opinion with an employer (or a recruitment partner) can seem like a scary proposition, but honesty plays a vital role in employer-employee communication. It makes a big difference to a recruiter’s ability to find the right fit as well. By being honest about if the drive to too far, the pay doesn’t meet your expectations, or the company is not a good fit will help ensure you and your recruitment partner are one the same page.

Before you apply, during your interview process, and on the job from day one, honesty is the best policy for communicating with new employers and peers.

Use your support system
Establishing good work habits isn’t always easy or simple. You have to manage how you’ll be perceived in addition to learning all the new information and ways of doing things associated with a new job. Lean on support wherever you can.

Want to get your next job off to a good start? Talk with an Aerotek recruiter.